Rajamundry

Rajamundry is the hometown (ancestral village) of our site director, Professor M.V. Krishnayya. It was our last excursion before the home stretch (now that I’m home I only have 43 days left). We were gone for 5 days and it was a pretty relaxing trip. 

We got to Rajamundry in the afternoon on Thursday and checked into our hotel we spent the rest of the day eating and walking around. Friday, we had the entire morning to ourselves after breakfast. We went on a brief walk, intended for the Godavari River, that ended up in a ship yard where workers were moving sand. We decided to go back after not finding the river. I then found an internet café and received an email from my mom telling me the wonderful news that Hannah (lifelong/ childhood friend) got into BYU! I’m so flipping happy it’s not even fetching funny ;) We then had lunch took a drive through Rajamundry and headed to a couple of places. We stopped at a renown nursery, then a kaja factory (Kaja = my favorite Indian sweet) where we were able to see how it’s all made, then we drove through a jungle and to the place where the Godavari River empties into the Bay of Bengal. I almost forgot to mention! We went to these cremation centers that were started by a very popular guy in Rajamundry (of course one of Krishnayya Garu's many infamous contacts). It was so colorful and interesting to learn about cremation rights in Hindu culture. We came back (about 6 hours in the car total) and ate … there is a definite pattern to what we do here: it’s eating.

We are fed like kings here. It’s ridiculous. I might as well say this now so everyone can getting their laughing over with by time I get back – I have gained weight in India. Yes, you heard right. I am over fed and under worked and, heck, I kinda like it! Except for when I look in the mirror (and think about what I’m doing to my body). When I get back to the states I’m going to need a major detox. Everything here is either fried or made with copious amounts of ghee (clarified butter) and oil. We try so hard to request other foods, but that means we’re eating fruits and veggies only. I’ve decided that when in India I will do as the Indians. There’s no way I’m going to look back on this adventure and say, “Gee, I wish I would have ate less kaja, or masala dosa, or coconut fried rice, or brinjole curry.” I’m probably going to say I wish I had eaten more! So start laughing because this “third world” country isn’t as starving as I thought it was going to be.

On Saturday we went to Krishnayya’s village. This weekend was a very huge festival that only happens once every two or three years. The village Goddess was being moved from her mother-in-law’s house (in the outskirts/ farm land) to her house in the village. There was lights, festivities, and of course religious ceremonies that we were privileged to be a part of. When it got dark and the main ceremony with the Goddess had been performed we left the village by auto rickshaw.

I love autos! Seriously, rickshaws are the most authentic and exciting way to see India. Haggling for decent prices is half the fun and the other half is riding in Indian traffic. We fit 6 Mormons and a Hindu into a smaller rickshaw that night. It was rad! I got to sit up in the front with the driver and my legs were hanging out for most of the drive. It was a blast, however, I could barely get a picture of it because we were all so close together.

On Sunday we took a boat up the Godavari River and back, through restricted tribal lands and polluted waters. In the morning we were up at 4am in order to be at the dock on time. We boarded the boat at about 5am. IT WAS FREEZING! None of us had sweaters of any kind there is normally no need. However, we learned that no sun + the river breeze = very cold foreigners. We cuddled together and used our pathetically thin chunnis for warmth. Once the sun came up life was good again.

The ride was beautiful and the food (again with food, I know) was very good. I felt so relaxed the whole trip. Mom and I concurred that it was probably the water that brought me peace. “You’re a water baby,” Mom said. The scenery was magnificent and the tribes looked like they remained untouched, hidden from an industrial world which so much invades everyday life. I envied them as we passed by, wishing that I would be able to have that peace and innocence too. Vizag is entirely the opposite and I’m jealous of their tranquil homes and land.

Once we arrived back in Rajamundry and got off the boat we went to eat, but I quickly lost my appetite after smelling the glass I was about to drink out of: wet cat. The glass smelled like wet cat! I almost lost my cookies and decided to eat some nan (bread) and walk back to the hotel. We left the next morning (today, Monday) and arrived back home in Vizag by lunch.

It was a very fun trip and I hope that now I’m ready for the home stretch. I told my roommate Kelly today at the train station, “43 days left!” Krishnayya Garu turned to me and said, “Someone is Provo hungry,” and I nearly fell over with shock! He must have heard me say that before. It’s true though, I am home sick, but I am determined to remember that I am on an adventure and if I don’t make the most of it I will kick myself in the butt later. It’s going to be great because in the words of Maren Thomas, a beloved roommate and friend, “I can do hard things!”

Until next time.

With love from India,

Jaci